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CHDK for Dummies
The Very First Steps * [[CHDK for Dummies#What_camera_should_I_buy.3F | What camera should I buy?]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#I_have_the_camera_already! | I have the camera already!]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#CHDK_Features | CHDK Features]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#Problems:_Searching_and_Posting | Problems: Searching and Posting]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#Versions | What's the best version?]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#Is_there_a_manual.3F | Is there a Manual?]] * [[CHDK for Dummies#Odd_and_Tricky_cameras | Odd and Tricky cameras]] What camera should I buy? Let's limit our universe #'CHDK' only works with Canon. #'DSLR' (Digital Single Lens Reflex) or P&S (Point and Shoot)? CHDK currently only works with P&S cameras. P&S are pocket size, simple to use, and work without fancy lenses. DSLRs are bigger, have more buttons, need spare lenses and are more expensive... but they generally produce better pictures, and support many CHDC-like features, such as RAW files and bracketing, with the built-in firmware. If you are a first time camera user, it's better to go with a P&S. If you are not, don't bother reading this. Dpreview is a good place to start, it has plenty of reviews and a Canon Forum populated by people who love to talk about Canon cameras. Some tips at the CHDK Forum http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1700, http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1512.msg14024.html#msg14024 and http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1559, you can search for more there. But... if you still want more info #What Canon camera models will work with CHDK? The simple answer is: look here. This is the official CHDK camera list. If it is not there, your choice will be a risky option. #One more piece of advice: besides the camera model, there is the firmware version to observe too. This information doesn't come in the camera box, nor does the vendor usually know. If you want to know for sure go here for technical info. For Windows guidance, continue down to the next section. Getting the Firmware Version of a Canon P&S camera Please backup your pictures or important data from your SD card first ! Preparing the card for firmware version check # Get one SD card, any SD card. Borrow one from a friend, if you don't have it. # Get a card reader, any card reader that fits the SD card you have. # Follow the Let's put the CHDK in the card from 1''' to '''8 and come back here. # Make sure that you can see this ver.req file in the card unit. In the store # Now you can go to the store and kindly ask the salesman to put this card in the camera. "Just for a test, sir". # Switch the camera to playback mode. Important: don't switch it on in record mode and change to playback later! # Turn it on and wait for the main screen. # Locate the and buttons # Press and hold the . # Still pressing the , press once. # Look at the display. You will see something like Canon PowerShot A650 IS P-ID:315B NT D Firmware Ver GM1.00D NoError Jul 6 2007 12:41:33 The GM''1.00D'' part is the firmware version. Be aware of B'''1.xx thing, it isn't the same, usually linked with beta firmware versions. Finally, write it down with the camera model together on a piece of paper. Thank the salesman nicely, and come back here to see if this version is already CHDKable! '''Attention: In the CHDKable cameras' list, at the link above, the letters IS were removed. So: Canon PowerShot A720 = Canon PowerShot A720 IS Canon PowerShot A650 = Canon PowerShot A650 IS and so on... Will CHDK damage my camera? No, normally not - but nobody can give you a guarantee, of course. It has never been reported that a camera was damaged by any official version of CHDK yet. Worst case: camera crashes (hangs up) To fix -> remove battery, wait ~ 1 minute, re-insert batteries and all will be ok. Be aware that experimental versions of CHDK aren't fully tested. So, if you are afraid of that possibility, stay away from them. In this page you will be guided to the official versions as default. Obs: It's been observed that there's increased wear in a camera's buttons after several months of using CHDK. But that's because people use the camera much more often! Certain combinations of script commands are believed to be capable of causing damage to the zoom motors. But only advanced users dare to use them. Still, there have been no reports of impairment. Standard scripts are safe. More technical info at: *What is the worst that can happen? ----- I have the camera already! Check List * one SD card (Max. 4 GB !) * one card reader * one personal computer plus one free USB port * simple computer navigation knowledge ---- Let's put the CHDK in the card Please keep in mind that this method will erase all files from the card. # Connect the card reader to your port. # Put the SD card in the card reader. # Open My Computer and verify that you can see the card unit. It will be a removable device. Put the mouse pointer over the icon, and see if the size matches your SD card's size. If not, check your card reader installation procedure. Don't go any further until you are sure you have this reader working and your card accessed. # Download CardTricks from Wiki or look Card Tricks thread and save it to a specific computer folder. Or just create one, if you wish. Locate the download folder and simply double click the file: Card Tricks will open. # Check the Auto box. # Click the card stamp (below the Auto box) and select the card's drive unit. Pay attention: is the drive corresponding to the previously identified card reader unit. # The Card Info & Selection section is updated now. Read and check one more time if it actually is your card: the card size is a good sign. If it has no size (not formated) and you just bought your card, it's positive feedback: you picked your SD card correctly. # Click the Format as FAT button, read and accept the notice. Card Tricks will format your card in the best way for CHDK. Wait until it ends. # Click the Make Bootable button, read and accept the notice. Card Tricks will prepare your card for camera autoload. # Click Download CHDK. Your browser will open at the CHDK official download page. Pick your camera model's ZIP file. Just remember where you saved it! It is possible that there is more than one file per camera: Choose which one by referencing your camera's firmware version, go back here if you are unsure which version you need. # Click the CHDK->Card button, select the ZIP file you downloaded, confirm and wait until the unzipping message disappears. # Remove the card from the card reader. # Lock the card! (the little plastic switch on the side of the SD card) # Your card is now [http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#Q._How_can_I_make_the_CHDK_program_load_automatically_at_startup.3F autoload] and ready to use. # Place the write protected card back in camera and turn on. If everything went right the CHDK splash screen will blink. Obs.: If you are curious about how this process happens, start with this: How does CHDK start running Last chance: If you still don't get it, try CHDK For Newbies - How To Install. It's a fun step by step video tutorial. Tip: It is preferable to use a card reader, if you can, rather than the USB cable. There are many situations where the camera USB port may confuse you. ---- CHDK is loaded! First thing you'll notice using CHDK is your OSD (On-Screen Display) changes. You'll see now, left to right a number, two icons and a percent. *First number is your available card space in MB. *Next to it you'll see your battery icon and below the charge remaining capacity in percent. *The top right one is the iconic representation of the free space amount of your SD memory card in MB. Menu Navigation - Enabling Histogram =Enabling Histogram = #Press the (called from now on) once. #Press once. The Main Menu will show. #Press until you highlight Histogram parameters. #Press to activate it, the Histogram menu will appear. #Go to the very first option Show live histogram #Press to change, choose Always #Press #Press #Go to mode if you are not there yet You are now seeing a live RGB histogram. Point your camera around and see the how the different lighting changes it =Setting the Histogram Mode = (continuing from above...) #Now press once, note that a blue bar with the ALT letters appears in the center bottom of your screen. #Press and go to Histogram menu as you did above (steps 3-4) #Navigate to Histogram layout and press until RGB all appears. #Press directly, it's the fastest way to return to Canon operation mode. =Placing the Histogram = (continuing from above...) You'll now see a more complex histogram, but partially hidden on your OSD. To correct this #Went back to the CHDK Main Menu (you know now, then buttons) #This time navigate to OSD parameters and activate it (press ) #Now in the OSD menu, Go down to OSD layout editor press to activate it. You'll see a lot of info on your screen. Don't panic! #Press repeatedly and observe that each time you press it, one set of screen info is selected with a green highlight. Press until you have the histogram graphic selected. #Now, with the navigation buttons - , , and - move the histogram around the screen until the histogram is shown in a nice place on the screen. #Press to save and exit. Now you have the live RGB all histogram on your screen. You have now learned how to navigate in CHDK. *For more information about histogram settings go there. *For a wonderful explanation about what a histogram is go there. ----- RAW =A few words about RAW = You have probably already watched those nature programs where they show us the world through the eyes of bees, dogs, flies and spiders. Your camera sensor works in a similar way. Like the human eye, the camera eye - the Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or the Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor - sees the light, but in a different way. Therefore, to bring that vision to our natural way of seeing light, some math needs to be done. So, after the camera hardware has done some processing, the OSD can show us an understandable and expected result. The final product is a photo file that you print, send or store in your computer - the JPEG image file. On the other side, this very first and odd looking from the camera's sensor is called RAW. CHDK saves that information in a file for further uses. =Activate RAW = #Go mode. #Press . #Press #Highlight Save RAW. #Press and you'll see this • #Press for exit. Your screen will now show 'RAW' and a number. This number is the amount of RAW shots that you could take with your available free card space. Note that this number is far below the number of normal shots that Canon info tells you is possible, since RAW files are larger. Trust the CHDK number now. =CHDK RAW in the real World = CHDK generates a 10 bit non standard RAW file; few commercial programs support this format yet. But you can always convert your CHDK_RAW files to a standard DNG or TIFF file by using this program: DNG4PS-2 and read DNG4PS2 for more information. If you don't have any preference yet, give PhotoLine a try, it already supports CHDK_RAW files. Lately, some people have proclaimed good results with Raw Therapee and UFRaw'' More links About RAW settings RAW parameters menu and RAW Develop. About camera sensors Digital Camera Sensors. About RAW editions and compatibilities Raw image format. ----- CHDK Features Bracketing Concept It's a way of using a series of shots of the same subject, generally at distinctly adjusted settings, to achieve, usually at a later time, a different and better result. Basically, there are three kinds of bracketing: luminance, focus and noise reduction. With many technical variations on each. The first and third can be done internally by a P&S camera with some CHDK processing (RAW Develop). Try this simple and valuable bracketing technique. If you understand and master it, you could, by just changing some parameters, solve a lot of bracketing situations. Bracketing and HDR This is a simple way to do luminance bracketing, using Tv (Time value) priority, without any knowledge of scripts. It's a good option for in a hurry moments. Follow the recipe bellow: * CHDK navigation: ** Press to enter ** Extra Photo Operations / Bracketing in continuous mode / Tv bracketing value: 2 Ev ** Extra Photo Operations / Bracketing in continuous mode / Bracketing type: +/-''' ** Press to exit + * Canon navigation: ** Put in ** Put the mode Dial to or select the 'M'anual mode on cameras without a mode dial, e.g. on the Ixus series ** Press ** Navigate to '''Drive Mode / C ustom ** Press ** Choose Delay: 1 ** Choose '''Shots: 3 ** Press to exit You are now ready to shoot. '''Some tips: *If you can, use a tripod. It'll avoid a lot of extra PP (Post Processing) work. *Before the shot, halfway-press and hold the shoot button to adjust focus and light. Continue and press the shoot button fully when you are happy with the settings. *Remember to take your finger or hands completely off the camera, if you are using a tripod. With this setup, there will be a short interval before the shutter actually fires. *The camera will do the first shot with your ((P)ersonal) best light standards; then it will slow the Tv to +2 Ev equivalence and take a shot; and finally -2 Ev equivalence. *If you want smoother intervals you should change the Tv bracketing value to 1 Ev and number of shots to 5. You will get the same interval with more steps. Now you can go for some HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging edits. Bracketing and DOF There is a good start tutorial at DoF Stacking. Bracketing and Resolution Bracketing and Noise The easiest way to remove noise of low light photos is by using the internal Raw Develop CHDK functions, there you will find a concept explanation. Obs.: Noise is a mess... with a lot of variations. If you wanna start this war you must know with what bandit you are fighting against: *Sensor noise **Sensor Noise, so Canon implements an automatic Noise Reduction (Dark Frame) at high exposure times, but it is a drawback... *Dark Frame **Complaining about NR/DF **Dark Frame (see Noise Reduction) **Fight against noise in long exposures **old thoughts *Amp Glow **at dpreview forum *Hot Pixels **Hot pixels - awful **Hot-Pixel Removal *Dark Frame and PP actions **Old request **DataGhost new CHDK Branch **Mediachance (some freeware) **RAWHide **Registax CHDK Bracketing Techniques =Tv Bracketing = =Av Bracketing = =ISO Bracketing = =RAW Develop = Some thoughts about RAW Sum and RAW Average This is not exactly a dummy topic, but let's get the principles. *When we see these big live broadcast concerts with thousands of people, sometimes the camera shows the crowd singing loud and beautifully. But hey! We can always see one or two guys chanting the "other" part of the song! Nevertheless, we hear the chorus singing perfectly. The uneven voices still exist, but they are minority. So, the TV brings us the "correct" - the average - song. This is RAW Average, a clean version of the scene. *In a similar way, if you live some blocks far from the concert place and your TV is off, you can still hear the crowd singing the songs. It's perfectly impossible listen a human voice at this distance, but the whole mass of voices is something bigger. This is RAW Sum, a brighter version of a scene. If you want more: *[[CHDK_firmware_usage/AllBest#RAW_Parameters_.3E_RAW_Develop_.28Build_100-15_or_Later.29 | RAW Develop in details]] *[http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1702.msg15550.html#msg15550 Practical example of RAW averaging] Useful links Scripts Concept By definition script is a programming language that controls a software application. It's like a taxicab: there is the car, the driver and there is you. Once inside, you can order the direction you wanna go. Also, you can tell the driver to go from here to there, to avoid this or that streets, to go fast or slow etc. So, the driver drives the wheel, the gas pedal, the breaks, the clutch, car light signals, avoid other cars or some potentially dangerous obstacles and, finally, brings you to your destination. The main power that moves this process come, almost exclusively, from the car itself. But all this power would be useless without the taxi driver expertize. And, of course, none of that would have even started if not been for your command. Our camera's hardware is the car, your camera's firmware (plus CHDK) is the driver and the script is you. At this moment the scripts are written and then compiled in a kind of ubasic ARM compiler (just don't bother the words). Scripts allow some control of the firmware functions, but there are limitations (for example, no decimal numbers exist). These limitations require coders to create smart work arounds which also increases the complexity of simple tasks. Lately, there has been some success with experiments to replace ubasic with Lua as the CHDK scripting language. If you like these and other weird words go fetch: *Current list of uBASIC Operations and Commands here at CHDK wikia. *Script Writing section of CHDK Forum. *PropertyCase of Digic II. *Some Lua links at the CHDK Forum: History, Lua Scripting Integration. How to load How to use How to change Useful links ----- Grids Concept Useful links ----- CHDK Video features Similarly as the RAW -> JPG procedure, Canon cameras transform real motion action in video format. This format is named Motion JPEG - similar to JPEG, the static image format. There are many video compression formats used nowadays: Moving Picture Experts Group Type 2 (MPEG-2) for DVDs and cable TV, MPEG-4 for Blue-ray DVD discs, Windows Media Video (WMV) for some computer video files, Flash Video (FLV) for YouTube videos, etc. M-JPEG has a significantly higher bitrate than these formats. That's bad, because the same amount of video time will take more storage space than other formats. But that's also good, because you lose less information in the compression activity and can edit more easily at your computer. How to use #Press the once. #Press once. The Main Menu will show. #Press until you highlight Video Parameters. #Press to activate it, the Video Parameters menu will appears. #Go to the very first option Video Mode. #Press or to alternate the options. The first thing you'll see is Video Mode. There are two options: Bitrate and Quality. *'Bitrate' means that Canon will record your motion at a constant compression rate. The more bitrate, the more space will be used in your SD card and better will be the video quality. 1x is near the Canon default compression. *'Quality' means the Canon will record your motion at a constant quality. It means that, if necessary, the camera, by itself, will increase or decrease the compression rate to mantain the video quality constant. The more quality, more space will use at your card and better will be the video. 84% is the Canon default compression. Remember: *When you choose Bitrate, the Video Bitrate number is the active setting. *When you choose Quality, the Video Quality number is the active setting. Obs.: S5 do not have these CHDK video mode options, until now. Enable optical zoom Digital cameras have two types of zoom available: The optical zoom and the digital zoom. *The optical zoom uses lens refractions to magnify the objects, resulting in clear, sharp images. *And the digital zoom approximates zoom by magnifiying the pixel size. It does some math to improve the result, but will always produce worse results when compared to the optical zoom. Objects will appear larger, but can lack definition and appear blocky. Canon blocks the optical zoom during video shoots. That's bad because you will lose quality when you zoom things digitally. CHDK unleashes the optical zoom that the Canon's engineers blocked, but the drawback is that the zoom mechanism noise is recorded in your video as well. Do some tests to get the best combination for you. ----- Versions What's the best version(build)? There's no such thing as a best version. There's only the best version for you. CHDK versions are like a suit, if it fits, feels comfortable and you are happy with it: - That's the best suit! - But if this is your first suit and your unsure of what you need, you should click here and at the top of that page click on the link that says "CHDK Autobuild Downloads". At this time (2008 10 27) many of the great innovations are included in it and it has all the features a newbie needs and then some. Why they exist? Each little genius here thinks in his/her particular way - and desires different things too. So, they take the core of CHDK and change it to fit his/her particular needs or ideas. They are all like sculptors that take wood and shape it like they want to. Because they aren't greedy, they share their efforts with everybody in the forum threads or wikia postings. Besides that, there is a group of members that works at mantaining the core/wood of CHDK, like GrAnd, cail, EWAVR, Fingalo, Allbest, jeff666, nirschi, DataGhost and a lot of other remarkable members. Along them other sharp minds work in related tasks. Remembering that it all started, years ago, with a one man only task, done by the mysterious Vitaly. Useful links The big bucket: here (if you haven't look yet...). Other Mods: Jucifer's DataGhost's Interesting links: View from the core: Trunk history. More answers. Obs: If someone was forgotten, please excuse. I apologize. Just edit and update for more correct info. ----- Problems: Searching and Posting ''- It doesn't work!'' At this moment some people have difficulty with staying calm and reviewing their previous steps, looking for simple mistakes. If you do so and still can't make it work, I suggest a few steps for you to follow. Searching It is very likely that you're not the first person with this particular problem. So, start searching for others with the same problem, and you are likely to find solutions and advice. : Here on CHDK wikia: The search bar is in the top left of this page. : At the official CHDK forum you'll find the Setepontos Search tool. Try searching from general to specific. Stop narrowing when your results become easily browseable. Ex.: Let's say you have problems working with RAW. First try * RAW -> You'll get a lot of info about it! But your problem is to get the RAW from the camera to your computer. * RAW download -> But hey, you're a Windows user, so... * RAW download explorer -> Now pick some and see if it fits. Some times you have to limit your search with a minus (-) sign to exclude some words. Ex.: You're having color problems in your pictures. So if you do the bottom search * color -> You'll have too much. Your problem is about JPG color problems, not RAW. * color JPG -> But RAW references keep coming. * color JPG -RAW -> now you get more suitable results. Caution: The search function in the CHDK wikia (this site) needs at least 4 chars in search expression ! Posting ''- Still doesn't work!'' If your problem doesn't seem to be covered yet, you can open a thread at the CHDK forum about it. # Be careful in choosing the correct section/subsection. If you have specific problems dealing with CHDK, this isn't exactly a developer matter. So, don't post at CHDK Development, go Using CHDK/General Help and Assistance on using CHDK stable releases. # Put a short descriptive title in your thread. HELP HERE! or SOME AID!! or I'M DESPERATE!!! usually don't receive good feedbacks. # Describe your problem as accurately as possible. # List at least: ## Camera model and firmware version ## CHDK brand and version ## Operating system ## Card size and brand # Wait. There is no Help Desk service. You have to count on the goodwill of other CHDK users like you. # Don't beg for urgent help. But don't give up. Check answers on a daily basis. # After someone answers you, reply and say if the proposed solution worked or not, and why. This will help others searching for answers in the future! # Thank the person who helped you! # Be polite and friendly, don't argue with others trying to help, it's a waste of your time. # And when you know and can, help others. ---- Is there a manual? * If you are an offline kinda guy, you'll appreciate this: Graystar's [http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1167 CHDK End-User’s Guide For AllBest Build 50] (PDF file) now in its third revision. It's not finished yet, but he's going fast. Give it a try! * A CHDK menu reference (Screenshots of the camera display) for the upcoming Allbest 51 build can be found here: Allbest 51 Menu Screenshots ----- Odd and Tricky cameras SD870IS / IXUS 860 As all other DryOS based cameras CHDK can only start from a bootable card, there's no "Firmware Update" menu item. The download contains only the file diskboot.bin ! Below are some limitations at Allbest #51: Power up in playback mode :The camera always powers up in playback mode and shows the last captured pic. For record mode press (or half press) the shutter. ::With 'Clock Display' set to '0 sec' in the Canon menu, the camera can be started direct in record mode by the following workaround: ::Hold while pressing , release when the Canon clock display appears OSD disappears after ~10 seconds :By default (or after a reset to the Canon standard settings) the Canon OSD symbols disappear after ~10 seconds in record mode. :With the button you can toggle between two states: always on or [OSD off after 10s. The last used setting is saved for standard. Doesn't support long filenames in file browser :The filenames in the filebrowser are shown in 8.3 convention (old MS-DOS style), longer filenames existing on the card will be shown in the corresponding short term. :Example: the filename "DefaultScript1.bas" on the SD card is shown as "DEFAUL~1.BAS" in the file browser dialog. Solved issues: :''-> video compression now works (from Allbest #51 changeset 455 on)'' :''-> Touch Icon Behaviour (the CHDK menu gets full or partially cleared when touching (half pressing) the "Wheel" buttons) fixed from Allbest #51 changeset 455 on'' :''-> the ND filter is working well now (from Allbest #51 Changeset 444 on)'' :''-> SDHC card support added in Allbest #51 changeset 455'' Some Hints: *The display can be switched off in record mode by long-pressing the key. To set this, in the Canon menu (in record mode, menu item "Set PRINT Button...") the key should be assigned to "Display Off". This can also be usefull for saving battery lifetime in scripts: to shut off the display a sequenze of press "print" -- sleep 1000 -- release "print" can be used after each shot. :Turning off the display this way in a script can lead to 3 times longer battery lifetime (beware - this method my not work with the MD (Motion Detection) function ! *The short key for enable/disable RAW is Alt- -Alt S5 * No video (compression) mode options = The next step: FAQ = Category:Help